August 25, 2024
Hi Everyone,
I hope you all are doing well. Time is racing by and we are charging full steam toward the November 5th election.
Your turnout at our commission meetings has been amazing, Let’s keep it up! Thank you all for supporting your community. Participation is essential to the health and well-being of our city and you are having an impact.
Who’s Making the Decisions
The items below contains a list of lawsuits that have been filed against the City of Oak Hill since May of 2021.
- 2021 10818 CIDL Joseph Catigano, ECT. V. City of Oak Hill 5-26-2021
- 2022 11266 CIDL Damien James v. City of Oak Hill 3-30-2022
- 2022 11266 CIDL Bonnie Lindsay, ET AL v. City of Oak Hill 8-4-2022
- 2023 11160 CIDL Peter Snyder v. City of Oak Hill 3-22-23
- 2024 10648 CIDL Mark Drollinger, ET AL v. City of Oak Hill 2-21-2024
In our city’s official newsletter Mayor Gibson has repeatedly opined that it’s those pesky residents who cost the city thousands of dollars in legal fees when they file lawsuits against the city. Click here, here, here, here, and here, to view them. The Mayor’s comments regarding lawsuits are highlighted. Who is it that’s really using the taxpayer’s money to pay for frivolous lawsuits? It’s certainly not the commission. I can unequivocally say that as a commissioner I have never participated in a commission meeting where a lawsuit filed against the city was discussed. After reviewing the commission agendas and minutes posted on the city’s website I was unable to find one that included a discussion about lawsuit.
Again, who is it that’s making the decision to pursue lawsuits that are filed against the city and who decides if it’s frivolous or not? If a city board violates your right as a citizen to participate and be heard at a city meeting would you think that was a frivolous matter? How would you feel if your city mayor – after being warned by a citizen’s attorney and the city’s own attorney, that an incomplete development application was submitted – challenged you by telling the commission that enough competent and substantial evidence has been presented to approve a zoning change even without a complete set of documents that are required at the time of application? Would you consider that a frivolous matter? Click here to watch our city commission in action.
Who stands to benefit from such an action? Are the citizens being represented? Are tax dollars being used in a way that benefits the city or its citizens? In the video you hear the developer say that the missing document comes at a cost of $25,000. If the Mayor and commission choose to roll the dice and call the public’s bluff in hopes that no one will file, that’s one thing. Once a citizen decides to exercise their rights and files an appeal, the bluff has been called. The city has a choice to make. What would happen if the city said we’re not going to spend tax money on an appeal to a zoning change because we have nothing to gain or lose and we don’t want to be reckless with taxpayer money? I guess that if the developer wanted to continue his quest to get a zoning change, he would have to come up with the required documents. No harm no foul right?
According to the previous city administrator, the city of Oak Hill spent $50,273.50 of taxpayer money to save the developer his $25,000. Does this make you happy? Do you feel like you got good value for your tax dollars? Click here to view the estimated cost to the city. The actual cost is debatable, click here to view the city attorney’s billing records from that time period. If you click here you will see a more up-to-date set of billing records from the city attorney. The records show us that our city continues this practice.
So, the question remains, If the commission is not making the decisions on lawsuits, then who is? Is it the city administrator? Based on the spending limit our city ordinance imposes, I would hope not. Could it be the city attorney? I would say no. Then who is left? Perhaps the answer is in our city charter. The decision has to be made by someone, or maybe there’s a default kind of policy in place that bypasses or circumvents the authority of the commission to make a policy such as whether or not to pursue a lawsuit regardless of merit or cost? As a commissioner, I sure wish someone would have told me.
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Our City Commissioner’s meeting is Monday, August 26, 2024 at city hall. The time is 6:00 PM. Click here for the agenda pack.
Please come and let your voice be heard. Your presence and participation are how we hold our commission to account.
As always, it’s my pleasure to serve you, I appreciate your support. Please let me know what I can do to help. I’m here to represent you…
Thanks again,
As always, it’s my pleasure to serve you, I appreciate your support. Please let me know what I can do to help. I’m here to represent you…
Thanks again,
Joe Catigano
Oak Hill City Commissioner
Seat 3
